ST Game Thread: Miami

For the first time in 2012, the Yankees will be playing in a Major League stadium today. It’s not just any stadium either, it’s the new Marlins park in Miami. The Yankees are playing two exhibition games there to help break the place in before the regular season, kinda like how the Cubs played in those two Yankee Stadium exhibition games back in 2009. Here’s the lineup, which looks an awful lot like the one we’ll see on Opening Day this Friday…

What are the chances the Yanks start the season with 11 pitchers (option Wade) so that they can keep Maxwell for a few weeks?

Justin Maxwell’s Silver Hammer (formerly Rainbow Connection)

50%. Either they will or will not.

Plank

What is your goal with these posts?

Plank

Arod has more major league service time than Mariano Rivera. Did that surprise anyone else?

JMK

Not really. Didn’t he come up at like age 19?

radnom

He was very young. It wasn’t surprising to me either because I remembered from the big 3 AL SS days that Arod was up at least a year before Jeter, and Mo and Jeter came up around the same time.

Kvothe

Ah, what is likely to be the opening day lineup. Kinda wish Gritty Gutty Brett was at the top and Jetes was in the 7 hole, but that’s not gonna happen.

Off-topic: I’m oddly disappointed by the lack of an April Fools joke today.

radnom

The Aprils fools joke was going to be that Pineda hit the DL with shoulder problems, but they can’t use that now….

Plank

I see what you did there.

Zanath

I hope someone hits a HR today so we can see that crazy thing.

TCMiller30

Why didn’t the Yankees add a homerun feature like the Marlins did?

That might be the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. Haha

Justin Maxwell’s Silver Hammer (formerly Rainbow Connection)

They spent all their money on the classy George idol.

Plank

In the live video of the home run structure (is there a better name than structure?) the top Marlin doesn’t spin.

I posted it a few days ago.

Ethan

monstrosity?

Plank

If you use the term ‘monstrosity’ to describe the coolest thing ever, then it would be apt.

CANO FAN #1

Great lineup

RetroRob

Jeter spreads his seed to a new stadium.

Kevin G.

Kinda off-topic, but am I the only one that hates when the Yankees wear their full pinstriped home jerseys during pre-season games?

Mike HC

Probably.

http://twitter.com/JoeRo23 The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

I thought they only wear the pinstripes during the first game of Spring Training, which I like as a kick-off to the year before they go to the warm-up jerseys for the rest of the preseason. I’ve been too busy to watch much of this preseason though, has that changed?

Havok9120

That’s the usual procedure, and I thought (because YES told me so) that that would be the case this season as well. But I would not be too surprised if we’re doing it so that MLB and Miami have some nice shots of a handful of big stars in the most iconic baseball uniform at the new shiny stadium.

http://twitter.com/JoeRo23 The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

Hold on, am I missing something? The Yanks are wearing the blue shirts today. Did they wear the pinstripes some other time that I missed? I don’t know what everyone’s talking about.

Havok9120

I can’t see the game so I just assumed they were in pinstripes since this came up.

This was even more off topic than I thought.

http://twitter.com/JoeRo23 The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

Ha, yeah. One dude’s like “the Yanks shouldn’t wear pinstripes during the preseason” and we’re all like “hold on, they’re not, what the F are we talking about.”

mike_h

no the yankees are wearing ST road jerseys. They only wear pinstripes for the first HOME ST game. In 2009 for the first two ST exhibition games at the new Yankee stadium vs the Cubs they wore pinstripes (I was there)

Plank

I have truly never considered it. I doubt you are the only one. Why would that bother you?

Is that true? I thought they had special spring training uniforms.

Mike HC

How big is the field? Looks like it might be pretty tough to hit homers in from that quick shot of the outfield.

Jack curry tweeted that it’s very muggy there. That roof is going to be closed 70-80% of the time.

Cross

Muggy. Give me a break. That is why MLB should have a rule keeping roof open unless it is raining.

The Guns of Navarone

Apparently you have no appreciation for how impossible it is to control your hair in muggy weather.

Plank

The purpose of the dome is to increase attendance. People want to sit in air conditioning.

Havok9120

This. I dunno where you live/have lived Cross, but humidity as high as it gets here is just not something people want to pay to sit in for several hours. Especially in uncomfortable chairs and with expensive concessions.

Esteban

If it leads to better baseball because the players aren’t instantly drained by the overpowering combination of heat and humidity, I’m ok with it.

Bo Knows

You don’t live in the south do you? The saying “its not the heat its the humidity” is about as true a statement as there ever was.

http://wwww.theyankeeanalysts.com Steve S.

Is that a new batting stance for Cano? Looks more closed than last year.

The Guns of Navarone

I thought it might just be the camera angle.

RetroRob

I hope not. Was there something wrong with the last stance!?

DM

Nice new ballpark.

mike_h

stadium looks nice

Countryclub

Stadium looks cheesy…even for Miami.

Mike HC

ha … it seems like they were definitely going for that though. At least they didn’t half ass it, ha.

Avi

Brian Cashman is a bright guy. April fools!

RetroRob

Giancarlo. Thank god. Now I no longer will confuse him with that pitcher dude. They’re very similar.

The Guns of Navarone

He sounds like the fifth Ninja Turtle.

RetroRob

Too bad for him the organge bandana has already been claimed.

The Guns of Navarone

What about lime green?

Plank

Lime green is like camouflage to a Ninja Turtle.

(It took me 6 tries to spell camouflage)

RetroRob

Bad sign that the Marlins were not able to sell out today’s first look at their new park?

Esteban

True test will be real games.

http://twitter.com/JoeRo23 The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

You know… I was there and I can’t even remember clearly… But I don’t think YS3 was totally packed when the Yanks had previews in the Spring of ’09 before Opening Day. Someone please correct me if I’m having a senior moment or something.

I think all the people noting how the park isn’t totally packed are pointing out something that has probably happened at every new park to open. There are a lot of people there, and it’s a Spring Training game. Who cares if it’s not totally packed.

Countryclub

I cant speak to YS3, but I was at Philly’s new stadium when they opened and it was sold out.

http://twitter.com/JoeRo23 The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

PS: The seats behind the plate look as full as a YS3 game during the regular season.

RetroRob

…but they probably don’t cost $80,000 each! : -)

RetroRob

I don’t think YSIII was totally sold out, although I’m not sure either because it’s hard to say. People move around so much at the new Stadium.

To be clear, I wasn’t knocking Marlins’ fans by asking the question. I want them to do well. It just feels a little light, but it does seem that the seats right behind home plate are more empty than other parts of the park.

The only thing I can guess is they didn’t want to ramp up to full operation on the first day. I guess that makes sense, outside of the fact that other teams have ramped up for the first day.

Pat D

It’s like an out-of-town preview, only it’s in town.

/Ocean’s 13 soft opening’d

gageagainstthemachine

I know it’s not Opening Day, but isn’t it a bit pathetic how empty the stands are in their new stadium? Brand new stadium, Yankees in town, first game played, empty seats everywhere. Take note Tampa Bay…save your money…

gageagainstthemachine

guess it’s not that empty at a second glance…but it still seems less than stellar excitement in Miami.

Countryclub

The Marlins broadcast said there are 25k there…and that’s with half being Yankees fans. Ownership can’t be thrilled

RetroRob

So where is the HR monstrosity?

Esteban

The green walls sure are ugly. yikes

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

They make the grass look dead.

N

i wonder if they’ll project ads on it

Improvident Lackwit

What happened to the HR structure? Did they not set it off?

flamingo

Just turned on the radio – CC doesn’t sound very sharp. How does he look?

Esteban

Skinnier than last year.

flamingo

Ha, that much I knew.

Justin Maxwell’s Silver Hammer (formerly Rainbow Connection)

He looks like Pineda. In every way.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

The sculpture didn’t go off when Sanchez hit the homer!

Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

Saving it for the regular season?

RetroRob

I tuned in hoping for a Marlins HR just to see it live.

Plank

If the structure ever goes off during an actual game, the world will end since there will be no more point after the pinnacle of awesomeness that is that spectacle.

Anyone else tired of Brett Gardner trying to bunt his way on base all the time? I’d much rather him learn to swing the bat like a big boy…plus it diminishes value as a pitches per PA pest by bunting himself out like that on one pitch.

Havok9120

0_o

No, I’m not tired of it. I honestly wish he did it more often.

The Guns of Navarone

Bandbox

RetroRob

It would be cool is the glass broke on a foul ball.

Will (the other one)

The Marlins’ broadcasters (who are great, by the way) were saying before that the team “turned Gaby Sanchez loose” the other day to make sure that wouldn’t happen.

RetroRob

One less number. Yankees retire #6.

RetroRob

…or it’s April Fool’s Day.

RetroRob

I feel like I’m talking to myself. Not that I haven’t been accused of that at other times!

RetroBob

I believe you are talking to yourself.

Havok9120

Found Rebecca’s post did you?

RetroRob

Yup!

Robinson Tilapia

You can find the evidence of my being fooled as well in the last thread. :)

Justin Maxwell’s Silver Hammer (formerly Rainbow Connection)

They should retire all numbers and only use letters from now on.

RetroRob

CC’s velocity has been down.

Just helping the media create a new story line while Pineda is DL’d.

Dante Bichette rules

Fool of me, i thought we will see some of the prospects like Mason and Dante today. My dream lineup for 2015 is:

Take out one of the 20-25M/year starting pitchers and that is….possible. We’re not going to be able to pay Cano, Granderson, AND yet another huge FA contract methinks.

Countryclub

If Arod is batting 5th in 2015, something has gone wrong with the rest of the team. I also don’t think there’s any chance one of those #2 pitchers are on the team (would be nice though).

I would love to see the rest of your roster shake out that way (minus Nunez)

RetroRob

They’ll be way below $189M mark with that lineup, since many are cost controlled.

No Campos?

Bottom line, guys like Bichette, Williams and Sanchez all breaking into the Yankees starting lineup at the same time is never going to happen unless the Yankees were to collapse. It would take an early 90s scenario to get that many starting rookies into the lineup.

RetroRob

BTW I want back and ran the numbers on that lineup, and even with all those rookies in the lineup, the Yankees won’t be way below the $189M mark as I thought. Adding in Cano’s and Grandreson’s new contracts, plus a Hamels/Cain, and the escalation in Phil Hughes’ contract and filling out the pen and the bench, and the Yankees are probably over.

If the Yankees really are intent on being below $189M and bringing back Cano and Granderson, I see little way to add in a Hamels. That gets back to why they traded for Pineda.

Needed Pitching

4 guys starting for the Yankees in 2015 who are all starting 2012 in low A ball is ummm…..optimistic.

No harm in dreaming though.

Plank

Cut Ibanez! That bum! Only a double?

mustang

+1

RetroRob

If we were in the regular season, Girardi would so have Gardner bunting here.

RetroRob

Very early indications, but the ball seems to fly here.

Plank

I think I read that when domed it’s a hitters park, but when the dome is retracted it’s like Petco East.

RetroRob

So it will be a hitters partk since it will always be domed during the summer? : -)

I was wondering if domed vs. closed would have an impact.

flamingo

Robbie is the best. As usual.

mike_h

Kearns looks lost in LF

mike_h

so CC was pitching sick, no wonder he was off today

Havok9120

This is one heck of a strikezone if ESPN Gamecast is anywhere near accurate.

Havok9120

Streak broken.

Season over.

mike_h

Mariano gave up his first ST run since 2008, sac fly

RetroRob

Time to start worrying about Mariano. He gives up a run.

Needed Pitching

grey pants in spring training are Mo’s kryptonite

RetroRob

He has a road ERA of 9.00 in Spring Training over the past four years.

bonestock94

These kind of Mo appearances make me uptight, even if its completely meaningless.

Countryclub

Marlins president was just in the booth and he said that when they open the roof and the outfield windows, the ball flies. Hanley said he’d hit 150 HRs if they were able to play that way all yr.

RetroRob

Really? I would have thought just the opposite. The roof is closed right now, and the fall seems to carry well in the OF.

RetroRob

*ball*

Countryclub

Wind tunnel

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

Feinsand interviewed Girardi, who shed some light on the Pineda situation:

Girardi comparing Pineda injury to Hughes last year: “I think we’re going to be patient with this, just like we were with Phil. And I think you have to handle each case differently. They both, after throwing a substantial amount of innings, came back and didn’t quite have the same velocity they had the year before and came up with some shoulder tendinitis. There’s a lot of similarities, but I think you have to see how each guy is doing.”

Girardi on Pineda: “He’s still a work in progress. This is still a really young pitcher, and we’ve asked him to do some things to try and develop his changeup. I think there’s been a lot of focus on him in camp. There’s always somebody who gets that, and it was him this year. Maybe this little couple-week break might be really good for him actually.”

With Pettitte back in May, does the rotation competition continue? Girardi: “Eventually Pineda is going to come back too. It gives us some time to sort things out. Things most of the time have a way of working themselves out. To speculate what might happen is kind of silly because we didn’t expect an injury because all of our starters had been so healthy. It’s really a month or so, maybe a little bit more.”

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

Hughes was out for 2 1/2 months, so if they approach it the same way Pineda could be out a similar amount of time. With Hughes, they let his shoulder heal, then took a month to whip his ass into shape, then sent him on rehab assignment where he built up his innings.

But at the end Girardi leaves open the possibility it could be as little as 5-6 weeks. But in either case, I don’t see how he’s ready before Andy (who’s targeting May 1st) at which point there’s no spot open in the rotation barring injury/ineffectiveness.

Fin

Saying there is no spot, is not quite true. It just depends what Pineda has. If he is the Pineda of last year they will make a spot for him, as that pitcher is better than any the Yankees have save for CC. Mostly likely he wont be that pitcher in 5 or 6 weeks though, and he spends some time in AAA becoming that guy.

Needed Pitching

this

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

Let’s use the ‘everyone is pitching well’ scenario. Whose spot does he take?

Not Hughes, who Cashman has been firm about keeping in the rotation (I suspect for future trade plans). Not Pettitte or Kuroda, both are veterans who would be useless in the pen. That leaves Nova, and I’m sorry but you don’t take a 16 game winner out of the rotation. The Yanks have brought in a litany of good veteran pitchers (Pavano, Vazquez, Burnett) who never won 16 games or pitched as well as Nova, you don’t just kick a guy like that to the curb.

I think he waits for someone to get hurt.

Needed Pitching

so you don’t kick Nova, who doesn’t have Pineda’s upside, had a worse spring than Pineda, and who was not as good as Pineda last year, to the minors, but they will let potentially the second best starter on the staff rot in the minors because Nova got great run support last year???

If Pineda returns to form, they will make room. I’m sure they will take it slow with him to make sure he’s really set, but when he is, they aren’t going to leave him in the minors hoping for an injury to open a spot in the rotation for possibly their second best starter.

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

You know who had lot of upside? Joba Chamberlain. So did Phil Hughes. You know who had a low ceiling, the guy who won 21 games for the D-Backs last year. And the guy with the big nose who’s coming back in May that has won 240 regular season games and 19 postseason games.

I love upside as much as the next guy, but I’ll take proven performance every day of the week.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

That’s what the Twins do. No one every won anything playing it safe.

Needed Pitching

“, but I’ll take proven performance every day of the week.”

so, since Pineda was better than Nova last year, and was better in ST until the shoulder problem, you would agree that Pineda should be in the rotation ahead of Nova, if it came down to that

Also, Kennedy did have fairly high upside (granted not considered as high as Hughes or Joba)

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

In all honesty, the guy who I have the least amount of faith in on the staff is Hughes. Especially pitching in Yankee Stadium. My idea scenario would be to have him pitch well enough to deal him midseason for a young RF or C with a few years of team control. But that’s too far down the road (even for me) to discuss yet.

Needed Pitching

I think Hughes would be a close second to Nova in terms of losing a spot, but I think if Hughes is pitching well, they won’t mess with him. They need to make a decision on Hughes future with the organization this year. If he pitches well, he can be part of the rotation next year or trade bait, if he doesn’t, he either ends up in the bullpen or becomes a possible non-tender candidate after the season. I think Nova loses out to Phil because there is no real time constraint to find out what he is. Sending him to AAA, while unfortunate and likely undeserved, doesn’t really have long term negative implications.

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

Here’s the thing with Hughes. He’s awful as a starter in YS3. You can’t give him a long term deal with his health history. To me, the smart move is to deal him now while he’s still relatively cheap and has some team control left this year and next.

Needed Pitching

yeah, I’d be fairly shocked if he was still with the Yanks in 2014. They just need to see what he can do to find out if he is more valuable in trade, or filling out the rotation (or bullpen) next year. I’m guessing his past health issues and inconsistencies are going to severely limit his trade value unless he proves he can have at least one full, healthy, good season.

Fin

I think that is the ideal scenario for the Yankees as well. I think that is why no one brings up moving Hughes from the rotation. The yankees have to build Hughes’s value and that cant be accomplished in minor leagues or as the long man. Its pretty clear he has no place on the Yankees after 2013. He either becomes a top of the rotation pitcher and an expensive FA, or he is a middle of the rotation guy and a fairly expensive FA that the Yankees can fill that spot in house on the cheap.

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

Bingo. He has to stay there this year. Has to, unless he pitches his way out of the rotation like he did last year.

If you have it in the back of your mind that you could deal him this year, he has to stay in the rotation and Pineda either stays in AAA or someone else goes.

Fin

Not a fair comparrison at all Steve. Huhes and Joba never had a major league season as a starter like Pineda did last year. Petite was never as dominate either, though he has had better seasons when you consider his playoff greatness.

Comparing Joba and Hughes potential compared to what Pineda has actually delivered is not a good agrument. Pineda has demonstrated his upside at the MLB level not in the minors and not scouts projecting. He is a known quantity to an extent and if he comes back healthy is a better pitcher than Petite (now), Nova, Garcia and probably Kuroda. while someone loosing their spot may not be fair based on their performance, this is MLB and this is the Yankees trying to win a world series. A healthy Pineda will take someones spot. Gaurantee it.

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

Joba was a damn fine starter in 08, and an unwatchable one in 09. Point being, upside isn’t everything. I like Nova’s ability to eat innings, and guys like him can win loads of games on a team that scores runs like the Yankees. I also think his upside is higher than people give him credit for, he was a different (much better) pitcher post-slider.

Needed Pitching

Nobody is saying get rid of Nova or knocking his ability. I think he’ll be at least a strong 4, possibly a 3. Pineda is likely at least a 3, possibly a future 1. I just think Pineda is better and if he get’s back fully healthy, and everyone is healthy and pitching well, Nova is the most likely to get the temporary shaft.

Fin

I think the Yankees first move is trading Garcia. I think the best candidate to be moved to the long man/6th starter role is Petite as I think its possible a 40 year old Petite on a comeback attempt is the worst Yankee pitcher. We know that wont happen though. Really it only leaves Nova, which truly does suck, but its a better option than a 95mph fastball throwing, strikeout machine sitting in AAA.

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

Trading Garcia really doesn’t factor in here. When Andy comes back, you have a rotation of CC-Pettitte-Kuroda-Hughes-Nova with Garcia in the pen. That’s the staff that Pineda has to crack.

Fin

I bring up Garcia becasue I dont think the Yankees will send Nova to AAA unless he needs work. It would be too much of a slap in the face. It would open a spot to slide Nova and keep him in NY.

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

Send Nova to the pen? That’s a novel idea, I hadn’t considered that one. He could be useful there as a latter day Ramiro Mendoza type. But I still like Nova better in the rotation.

Fin

Yea, I agree I like him in the rotation better also. At this point I think hes better than Hughes and Petite, but for different reasons, they most likely wont loose their spots. It would be a shit sandwich for him to eat this year, but it would only be temporary as he would be back in the rotation next year.

CJ

Over/under Pineda starts 20?

Fin

I’m going to have to go under. I’m thinking its going to take him some time to get back to full health and full speed and with the yankees quality pitching depth he might not see the rotation until July. I still think he plays a huge part in how deep the yankees go in the playoffs. A big power pitcher, strikeout machine is what everyone wants in the playoffs, and I can still envision Pineda being the number 2 guy in the playoffs.

RetroRob

I’ll go under. I think we’ll see him back until June 1 at the earliest.

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

At which point Andy has already been back for a month. There’s a good chance Pineda gets stuck at AAA waiting for something to open up.

Needed Pitching

not if he’s pitching to last years form

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

Fine. Who goes?

Needed Pitching

if everyone is pitching well, Nova

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

Doesn’t matter. A healthy Pineda is no worse than the third best starter in the organization, you make room for him.

Fin

I enjoy the discussions about this as its fun to try to figure out how to play out tough scenarios like thsese. In the end the way back in for Pineda will probably be much easier as injury and ineffectiveness will probably make the decisions far easier than we are discussing.

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com/ Steve S.

Yeah, the whole point is to make these questions as hard as possible. Any dolt can say “Don’t worry, someone will get hurt duuuhhhhhh”. No shit.

Jesse

At this point I’m taking the under.

Esteban

JR Murphy is an old looking 21 year old jeez

Esteban

Grand Slam Cervelli just missed it.

RetroRob

Right before the concussion last year, Cervelli was driving the ball as well as I can remember, and he mentioned he had changed some of his hitting mechanics while working with Kevin Long. Curious to see if that was just a short-term hot streak, or if he might have a bit more pop in his bat this year.

Fin

So Wade looked bad again today. If “stairs” didnt get hurt, you have to think he would have locked up a spot. What a shame, can only imagine the heart break that guy is feeling.

M-Three

Sorry I don’t get the reference but who is “stairs”? Are you refering to D-Rob because if you are he is already back.

Fin

Sorry running joke on RAB about the conspiracy of Cabral to hurt D-Rob on the stairs and becoming known as Cesar “stairs” Cabral.